


Still Fighting It

by decco6226



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29126388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/decco6226/pseuds/decco6226
Summary: After Lee's injury in the Chunin Exams, Lee reminisces in sorrow over the old times, and whether or not it is his fault.
Relationships: Rock Lee & Maito Gai | Might Guy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Still Fighting It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [a_gay_poster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_gay_poster/gifts).



> Based on the song "Still Fighting It" by Ben Folds
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQG_5sj-aO0

The morning was young. The sky was a pale blue and the sun shone white through the cloudless horizon. It reflected off the wet and dewy morning, and off the moisture against the window where Lee slept, finally away from the suffering for, well, a while. He had taken more than a beating from Gaara, but what was worse was the beating Lee had taken from Tsunade with those few words: "The chances of a successful surgery are fifty-fifty at best, and if he fails, he'll _die_."

Better to let him sleep in a world where maybe he can have some relaxation. Even in his unconscious state, he stood strong, blood gushing from the battle wounds, yet still ready in the attack position - and the image... the image of his deadened eyes, his mouth hanging open... that's what scared Guy the most. 

Lee was three when Guy adopted him from foster care. When he went into that space just to maybe cheer the kids up, he saw his son there. The boy who looked, acted, and spoke exactly like him. Looked up at him like he was a hero, the ruler of the world, the best thing to ever live, and Guy knew that was it. Guy remembered picking him up on that day, he was so young, filled with life, hope, and excitement - unlike now... First, Lee's bag was placed into Guy's hand, and with a strong arm, he picked his new son up, and held him there to his chest. "Good morning, son." He said, smiling. And when Lee heard that, he lit up in a way Guy had never seen him before, and almost never since. That morning, Guy felt like the representation of a bird - despite wearing that green spandex that Lee was sure to have soon as well. He felt like the morning completely refreshed him, unlike those whining working fathers going to their jobs in their brown polyester shirts, and going home later that evening to still complain. 

That day, before going home, he had taken Lee out for a lunch before showing him his new home. Guy was surprised to hear from Lee that, well, he had never been out to eat anywhere. He had never been... treated anywhere before. It was then when he heard those words they had come across a sandwich shop, having just opening for the lunch crowd. Walking over into the space, he set Lee downwards and gently held his small hand. It fit so tinily in Guy's monstrous ones - but that seemed to make Lee feel even safer and determined.

"You want a Coke?" He asked his new son, looking at the menu board. "Maybe some fries? The roast beef combo's only nine ninety-five."

Lee had looked upwards in a little bit of fear, for he had never been treated before, and if someone in his foster home bought him something, the guilt-tripping would come for how expensive it is. "I-I have money too, Papa...!" The boy said softly. Digging into his little pants' pocket, he produced a small wallet, and opened the clasp, soon to dump its contents all over the wooden floor. A few cents clattered to the hardwood, as well as two small beanbags, and three marbles. 

Guy laughed heartily and bent down, arranging the coins. "Wow, my boy, you are rich." Patting his head of charcoal hair, he smiled. "It's okay, you don't have to pay, I've got all the change." He concluded. 

When he paid and got the food, he sat downwards with his new boy and watched him eat. His reaction to trying the carbonated drink was pretty cute - he had not expected it to be fuzzy, so Lee ended up coughing and sputtering. But, after that, he decided he liked it and took another sip from the glass bottle before going into his sandwich. Watching his face finally be filled with light was one of the best sights that Guy had ever seen. However, he knew, somewhere deep, deep down, that Lee had suffered back there... and this was as good as a time as ever to talk.

"Lee." Guy started. "Listen, my boy... There is one lesson I want you to know, if anything, right now, from day one." He put up a finger to represent the number. "My boy, it is not just you who feels down sometimes like this. Everybody knows, it hurts to grow up. And everybody does," He explained, how everyone continues to grow. 

He snapped outwards from his trance and saw his son now still passed out in the bed in white sheets... and as he fought back the tears, his mouth finished the sentence he spoke to Lee almost eleven years ago without meaning to: "So weird to be back here. Let me tell you what, the years go on, and we're still fighting it, we're still fighting it." 

Blood seeped through the sterile gauze, and a thought came into Guy's mind. If Lee hadn't have been like him... he wouldn't have been in this bed suffering... And that was enough to make Might Guy stand up, and caresses his son's cheek with a hand. "And you're... so much... like me..." A shaky inhale of a teary whisper. "I'm sorry..."

The dewy morning sunlight stroked Guy's cheek, indicating it was still rising, and the Taijutzu Master looked outside. Yes, definitely rising. It would be a beautiful day. 

Might Guy sat at the edge of Lee's bed, and looked sorrowfully into his sleeping face. "... Good morning, son." He started. "... In twenty years from now, maybe we'll both sit down and have a few beers." He spoke out loud, wondering himself. He knew Lee loved him, respected him, and Guy told Lee he loved his son too, but... had he ever told him how much Lee _mattered_ to him? "... And I can tell... you 'bout today..." the voice then hitched. "... And how I picked you up and everything changed."

These feelings... It was pain, sunny days and rain, and Might Guy knew, deep down, that Lee would feel, and had felt the same things. 

"Lee... I do not know if you remember that talk we had..." He started. "... Everybody knows, it sucks to grow up. And everybody does, but it's so weird to be back here..." And when Guy stood upwards, he patted the boy's arm. "Let me tell you what. The years go on, and we're still fighting it. We're still fighting it."

"... I hope you remembered that first talk we had... because, my son, it is true. And soon, you will have your own family, your own life as well. You'll try, and try, and one day you'll fly away from me..." That phrase alone, while true, did make Guy sad. While it was a true fact of life, and he knew it would happen, it still made him a little sorrowful he wouldn't be his little boy for much longer...

The lids of Lee's slowly started to flicker open. The light refracted in his pupils, and he shut them again, but then opened them again. "... Papa...?" He asked softly.

Guy's head whipped upwards to Lee's, and saw the boy's soft face. "Good morning, son..." He spoke softly. "Good morning, son." Guy repeated, and soon, he took the deep breath, stroked Lee's hair, and said the phrase that Lee knew all too well. "Good morning son. I am a bird..." And when Lee looked up, he store into those black eyes that resembled his very own, Might Guy realized that if he didn't tell Lee that phrase he said moments before... he may never be able to find the courage again. "Lee, back when I first got you... Your eyes spoke of sadness, lonesomeness, and pain. Back then, when I got you, when I was teaching you, guiding you, shaping you into the man you are today, it was pain, sunny days and rain - and I knew you'd feel the same things."

This time, it was Lee who smiled - when usually it was his father. "Papa... it hurts to grow up." He concluded, using the same phrase his father had used... all those years ago. "And everybody does. It's so weird to be back here. But let me tell you what, the years go on and we're still fighting it. We're still fighting it."

The tears were streaming down Might Guy's face as usual - the long waterfalls that happened whenever he got emotional, and he immediately pulled his son into a soft hug. Guy knew it. "Lee... You're so much... like me..."

And this time, again, Guy couldn't say, "I'm sorry," outloud. 


End file.
